March 17, 2018

A Good News Dan Update

Yes, some good news! Yesterday we received a letter from the second hospital telling us we had been approved for financial assistance and wouldn't have to pay the balance of the ER bill. After our dealings with the first hospital we really didn't expect much regarding this second bill, except to hope it would be reduced at least some. So the news was an extremely pleasant surprise, not to mention a huge relief!

It's been six weeks since Dan's accident and healing remains slow. We're still treating both fingers with the salve, fomentations, and tincture (details on those here). The one finger looks "normal" except for the fingernail, and there's no telling how that will grow back. The finger that was sawed off is much slower to show progress. The end of it still looks more like a hunk of raw flesh than a finger, but skin is starting to grow below the damaged knuckle. It remains extremely sensitive to touch and cold, but he says it's only moderately painful. Considering the bone loss, that finger initially looked like it lost some length, but it's actually starting to look longer and not quite as crooked. That's hopeful!

There are more details on our GoFundMe page, which I will be closing down in a couple of days. We didn't reach our "goal," but thanks to your help we got what we needed! Dan's SS retirement kicks in next month, so now that the biggest medical bills are behind us, we will soon be able to resume a modest but somewhat routine budget.

We would definitely appreciate your continued prayers for healing. Activity-wise he's probably doing more than he should, but just sitting around is almost worse to him than the hand. So soon I should be able to show you a little more progress on the goat barn!

26 comments:

All in all that's wonderful news, Leigh, and I'm sure has given both of you a big "lift" and ability to breathe more normally!

As far as Dan doing possibly more than he should physically at this point, don't forget there is mental/emotional healing going on, too, and his getting up, out and doing will go a long way toward that part of his recovery. After what he's been through, you have to trust that he'll be careful.

Fantastic news!! So happy for both of you, as that must be a huge relief. Healing always takes longer than we want, but it sounds like Dan is well on the way to a good outcome. Patience can be difficult to come by when there is so much that needs doing, so this is a good chance to work on that, and how to listen to his body. Big hugs to both of you, and all the beasties as well.

prayers are the key to complete healing.leigh, go to 'bayou renaissance man' web log for today. article on medical bills and how to negotiate them.even if not needed now that you have such good news, it would be good to read, copy, and file for future reference.

You might as well grit your teeth, loosen the reins & look the other way or you'll make yourself crazy. Using that hand increases it's mobility & pain will limit it's overuse!! Getting back to as normal a routine as possible is the biggest aid to healing, IMO. And, glad to hear the 'Go Fund Me' helped pay most of the hospital bills. YippeeePS - milking might make a terrific hand exercise . . . .

Judy, thank you for that. I shared your comment with Dan and he was happy to have a healing frame of reference. It's hard to know what to expect in terms of seeing healing progress. It's slow for sure, so best not to become impatient and discouraged.

Carol, thank you! That's exacly what he needs!

Deborah, thank you for that. He does have one other bill, the second ER doctors's bill. He's annoyed because that doc is trying to charge him for a high level of trauma care, when in fact that was done at the first ER and this particular doctor didn't even bother to unbandage the hand and look at it. All he did was stick his head in the door, shoot the baloney, and order an x-ray. That is not trauma care. I don't know if the information you mention will help, but I agree it's very good to know.

Sharon, thank you! And yes, everyone's donations made all the difference in the world for us, not only financially, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I'll have to tell him about milking! LOL That's mostly been my job and he's never shown an interest, but maybe it's time to learn!

Gorges, thanks! Have very much appreciated your prayers and support. I'll continue to report on how he's doing. The biggest challenge right now is not getting discouraged because healing is so slow.

Mike, :)

tpals, I hope so. He's doing better now that he's getting around more, but the hand is still limited and prone to getting bumped! But isn't that the way it always is?

It’s wonderful to know that progress has been happening on both healing and bills. Patience is sometimes hard to come by and definitely difficult over a long haul. Using the hand in a gentle, careful way may mean no need for physical therapy later on. I cut 2/3s through a tendon on a knuckle with a knife once. The orthopedist thought it would heal better without stches, which it did. The ER doc told me to put ointment on it and keep it bandaged. When I saw the orthopedist again he said that fingers are different and that the ointment was slowing the healing. I was using that common antibiotic stuff. My finger did heal, I have full use of it. One of the exercises I was given after it had closed up was to bend it and straighten it over and over a couple of times a day. I’m not a medical person, it’s just my experience with a much les devastating experience.

Leigh, has Dan tried a finger splint? It would keep that sensitive tip from getting bumped. I found a photo online here: https://www.amazon.com/Medical-Protection-Deformation-Correction-Orthopedics/dp/B075KMY6QT/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1521420288&sr=8-18&keywords=broken+finger+brace

Weavinfool, interesting about the ointment. I think the common stuff has a petroleum base, so I wonder if that made a difference (?) The one we're using is beeswax and olive oil. Dan likes to keep it on, because he says it gets very painful when it dries out. The salve keeps it moist.

Paula, thanks!

Michelle, thank you for that! I ordered one. Concern about bumping it is high, so that would be some nice protection for it.

Sandra, thank you! Definitely an answer to a prayer.

Ed. :)

Susan, well, I appreciate that. This has been a tough one, so I've been hoping that I don't sound too much like I'm complaining.

Mark, thanks! We're definitely making good forward progress!

M.K. yes indeed. But these are the kinds of things that stretch our faith and make it grow, don't they?

5 Acres & A Dream. The dream has always been to live close to the land. The 5 acres came in 2009, when my husband Dan and I bought a neglected 1920s-built bungalow on 5 acres. The goal is simpler, sustainable, more self-reliant living, and a return to agrarian values.

Search This Blog

Welcome Followers!

Subscribe & Follow by Email

Cookies

I'm supposed to let visitors know how my blog uses cookies. The only one I personally use is Statcounter, because I'm naturally curious about traffic to my blog. I neither save this information nor share it. Google and Blogger add their own cookies, but those are beyond my control.

DISCLOSURE: After I published 5 Acres & A Dream The Book, I learned about Amazon Associates. I figured if Amazon was going to pay a referral fee to someone for advertising my book, why shouldn't it be me? To increase my small percentage, I have linked other books and products mentioned in various of my blog posts. However, I only link to items I use and personally recommend.